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☆ Chile announces biological corridor to protect endangered deer
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Rewilding Fundation Chile/Handout via REUTERSSANTIAGO, March 6 (Reuters) - Chile launched a program on Monday to protect the huemul, an endangered southern deer, by creating a biological corridor that includes an area recently donated by the family of the late philanthropist and founder of the North Face, Douglas Tompkins. The Rewilding Chile Foundation, Tompkins' legacy, along with Chile's Ministry of Agriculture, said that the "Huemul National Corridor" will be made up of approximately 16 connected, state-protected areas alongside other private conservation initiatives. Last week, Kristine Tompkins, co-founder and president of Rewilding Chile, met with President Gabriel Boric to donate 93,492 hectares (231,024 acres) for the creation of a new national park in the Magallanes region. The huemul is one of two species of native deer found only in the Patagonian forests of Argentina and Chile. Despite being originally found in areas in central Chile, the huemul can now be seen mainly in the southernmost regions of Aysen and Magallanes.

☆ The Biden administration's recent ultimatum to chipmakers is the first step for a grander plan designed to give more workers affordable childcare
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Firms that want a shot at the $39 billion have to show that workers will have access to childcare. "That's why we're requiring companies that receive funding to tell us how they plan to provide affordable child care for workers." As Insider's Avery Hartmans reported, offering affordable childcare is one solid way for firms to attract young workers in a tight labor market. "Women are not able to answer the help wanted ad if they don't have steady, affordable childcare, because they know they can't be reliable, productive employees," Raimondo previously told Insider. Critics of the practice often point to firms prioritizing their own market value over spending that money on salaries or workers.

☆ The Senators who grilled Ticketmaster's executives over Taylor Swift tickets want the Department of Justice to keep examining the company's merger with Live Nation
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Amy Klobuchar and Mike Lee are asking the DOJ to keep examining Ticketmaster and Live Nation. The letter and hearing come after renewed interest in the 2010 merger of Ticketmaster and Live Nation. Neither Live Nation Entertainment nor the Department of Justice immediately replied to Insider's request for comment. The senators note that, following their hearing on Ticketmaster and Live Nation, they, like Swift, had a question. They said they asked how many concerts every year were simultaneously promoted by Live Nation and ticketed by Ticketmaster.

☆ Sex workers are feeling the financial pain of an economic downturn — and adding emotional support for clients to their job descriptions
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-11 | by ( Jennifer Sor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

From stripping to webcam modeling, sex workers are feeling the pain of a precarious economy. It's taking an emotional — in addition to financial — toll, since sex workers are often expected to lend their clients a compassionate ear. "Unfortunately, as sex workers, we do take the brunt of people's own stress of whatever is going on in our own lives," he added. Legal arenas of sex work are also showing signs of struggle as customers pull back from one of the world's oldest industries. Sex work saw a particular diaspora during the pandemic recession, Jungleib said, which saw a huge influx of people interested in online sex work.

☆ 'The grass does not grow': In Chile's far south, the worst drought in 50 years
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] A view of parched earth as a wetland is drying up, in Punta Arenas, Chile February 2, 2023. In the far south city of Punta Arenas, that has led to a water emergency declared last year. "In 2022 Punta Arenas had its driest year in 52 years," said Nicolas Butorovic, a climatologist from the regional University of Magallanes. "The wind picks up and dries everything and the grass does not grow, that is the drama we're facing," said Hector Garay, a livestock farmer in the region. "If there is no irrigation water, water from rain, the grass does not grow.

☆ James Dolan defends use of facial recognition technology to ban entry into Madison Square Garden and Radio City Music Hall
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-28 | by ( Aaron Mcdade | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

MSG Entertainment is facing criticism for its use of facial recognition to enforce bans at its venues. Dolan doubled down on the tech in a recent interview and made a vague threat to stop selling alcohol at MSG. MSG's use of facial recognition technology to enforce bans has garnered increased scrutiny in recent months. "MSG Entertainment cannot fight their legal battles in their own arenas," Attorney General James wrote in her statement. "Madison Square Garden and Radio City Music Hall are world-renowned venues and should treat all patrons who purchased tickets with fairness and respect."

☆ Ukraine could boycott Olympics if Russians allowed back-minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BERLIN, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Ukraine would not rule out boycotting the Olympic Games if Russian and Belarusian athletes are allowed to compete in the Paris 2024 Games, its sports minister said. "Our position is unchanged: as long as there is a war in Ukraine, Russian and Belarusian athletes should not be in international competitions," Guttsait wrote on his Facebook page. "Work is currently underway on further possible steps and first steps to continue sanctions and prevent Russians and Belarusians from international competitions," he said. "If we are not heard, I do not rule out the possibility that we will boycott and refuse participation in the Olympics." Russian and Belarusian athletes have been banned in some sports while they are allowed to compete under a neutral flag in others.

☆ Madison Square Garden CEO doubles down on use of facial recognition tech
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Samantha Beech | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The chief executive of the Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corporation has doubled down on using facial recognition at its venues to bar lawyers suing the group from attending events. “At Madison Square Garden, if you’re suing us, we’re just asking of you – please don’t come until you’re done with your argument with us,” he said. Madison Square Garden and Radio City Music Hall are world-renowned venues and should treat all patrons who purchased tickets with fairness and respect. Madison Square Garden is the home of the New York Knicks, Rangers, professional boxing, and college basketball teams. What facial recognition does is looks at, you know, recognizes your face, and says you know, are you someone who’s on this list.”Dolan claimed the State Liquor Authority has threatened MSG’s license over its use of facial recognition technology.

☆ NY AG Letitia James presses MSG over use of facial recognition technology
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

New York Attorney General Letitia James wants to hear from Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corporation about the company's reported use of facial recognition technology at its venues. MSG Entertainment owns and operates venues across New York including Radio City Music Hall, Madison Square Garden and the Hulu Theater. "MSG Entertainment cannot fight their legal battles in their own arenas," James said Wednesday in a release announcing her letter. "Anyone with a ticket to an event should not be concerned that they may be wrongfully denied entry based on their appearance, and we're urging MSG Entertainment to reverse this policy." MSG Entertainment did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the letter.

The club is one of the world's biggest sporting brands and generated 689 million euros ($750.94 million) in revenue in 2021-22. "Chelsea getting sold in 2022 means a rate has been established on the value of a Premier League club," Joyce said. The Glazers bought United for 790 million pounds in 2005 in a highly-leveraged deal which has been criticised for loading debt onto the club. OLD TRAFFORD INVESTMENTThe Chelsea deal involved the new owners paying 2.5 billion pounds ($3.10 billion) to purchase shares while committing a further 1.75 billion pounds to invest in the club, particularly the stadium. Media reports suggest it would cost one to two billion pounds to renovate.

☆ How WWE’s Vince McMahon ruthlessly got his job back despite allegations of sexual assault and misuse of company funds
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-14 | by ( Kyle Feldscher | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

WWE has always been a family business – Vince McMahon, Sr., handed over the reins to his son in the 1980s – and it seemed set to continue that way. Why was Vince McMahon stepping aside such a big deal? Vince McMahon was more akin to a king than a business executive in the world of WWE, his fingerprints on everything. Once considered a wrestling genius, critics have more recently come to consider Vince McMahon a creative liability. McMahon,” Vince McMahon’s devious on-screen character, who served as wrestling’s greatest heel for years in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

☆ Law & Order SVU's Maurice Compte: Boundaries between good and bad can be 'blurry'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Arturo Conde | Arturo Conde Is An Editor | A Bilingual Freelance Journalist. He Writes For La Opinión A Coruña | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Police dramas often define a clear line between good and bad. But Cuban American actor Maurice Compte, who plays Captain Mike Duarte on the 24th season of “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” says the policemen and gang members he grew up with make that line more blurry in real life. The actor told NBC News that he knew both policemen and gang members — some of whom he said were in the Latin Kings. Beyond the imaginary TV line that divides characters into good and bad, there's a more complicated reality that drives both sides to belong to a community, he said. “At its best, I understood why they were doing it,” Compte said, referring to the gang members that he knew from his neighborhood.

☆ Walmart strikes a deal with Salesforce to sell more of its tech to other retailers
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Melissa Repko | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Walmart Global Chief Technology Officer Suresh Kumar said the deal with Salesforce will help Walmart improve the experience for shoppers. For instance, as Walmart's GoLocal has more packages to deliver from more retailers, its drivers will have denser routes, he said. It began selling Store Assist, technology that its own store employees use, in the summer. In November, Walmart Chief Financial Officer John David Rainey said Walmart added more than 8,000 sellers to its third-party marketplace in the fiscal third quarter. Walmart will stand out in its app store as a technology by retailers and for retailers, he added.

☆ This little-known firm with a weird website was central to the misappropriation of FTX customers' money, regulators say
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( Gretchen Morgenson | Gretchen Morgenson Is The Senior Financial Reporter For The Nbc News Investigative Unit. A Former Stockbroker | She Won The Pulitzer Prize In For Her | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

Still, North Dimension had a crucial role in the FTX mess, regulators now say. In fact, they contend, the little-known company was central to the furtive misappropriation of FTX customers’ funds. But North Dimension Inc. also appears to have been a fake online electronics retailer, an NBC News investigation found. The second North Dimension website is sparse, with just two pages superimposed on a photo of a mountain range. An analysis by DomainTools shows this North Dimension site was created on Oct. 3, 2022, and registered in Ontario, Canada.

☆ Extreme cold weather stretches U.S. homeless shelters' capacity
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( Gabriella Borter | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/4] A man stands outside of his tent during a period of cold weather in Denver, Colorado, U.S. December 22, 2022. Officials prepared the indoor arena to house 225 people but increased its capacity to 359 on Wednesday night. The report found that homelessness among people in shelters declined by 1.6%, while unsheltered homelessness increased by 3.4%, compared to 2020. "Severe weather exacerbates the cruel reality of homelessness in America," said Donald Whitehead, executive director of the National Coalition for the Homeless. Nearly 1,000 migrants were staying at Denver city shelters or partner shelters as of Thursday, according to a city statement.

☆ Who really pays for NFL stadiums?
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Darren Geeter | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailWho really pays for NFL stadiums? In 2022, the Tennessee Titans of the NFL unveiled their plan to build a new stadium in the heart of Nashville. The 1.7-million-square-foot stadium will house 60,000 fans and cost $2.1 billion. Public funds diverted to help build professional sports stadiums and arenas have cost taxpayers $4.3 billion since 2000. While the NFL and team owners contend that stadiums provide economic benefit to a city, researchers claim it's otherwise.

☆ Taxpayers are paying billions for the renovations and construction of NFL stadiums. Here's how
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Darren Geeter | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

These tax exemptions help lower the burden of high debt through low-interest municipal bonds used by cities and teams to pay for stadiums. Since 1913, municipal bonds have been a popular financing option for airports, roads, hospitals and schools. The loophole works by creating an artificial financing structure through tax-exempt municipal bonds. To gain access to those bonds, private companies must fail one of two tests stipulated by the Tax Reform Bill of 1986. The Las Vegas Stadium Authority financed nearly 40% of the stadium through $750 million in bonds backed by its hotel taxes.

☆ It's not just Taylor Swift. Musicians describe the 'demented struggle' of touring in a shrinking industry where one giant company sells the tickets for most major venues.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

On top of that, the Justice Department is reportedly investigating the 2010 merger of industry leaders Ticketmaster and Live Nation. Live Nation Entertainment said in a statement that it owns and operates just over 100 of the nearly 4,000 total live music venues in the United States. "Put simply, artists, venues, and consumers should no longer be at the mercy of a single seller," Sens. At the same time, Live Nation Entertainment is seeing a record year due to more shows than ever. "We always welcome the opportunity to discuss important issues facing the live entertainment industry," Live Nation said in a statement.

☆ Porsche begins production of 'e-fuel' that could provide gas alternative amid EV push
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Michael Wayland | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Porsche and several partners have started production of a climate neutral "e-fuel" aimed at replacing gasoline in vehicles with traditional internal combustion engines. The German automaker, owned by Volkswagen , said Tuesday that a pilot plant in Chile started commercial production of the alternative fuel. By mid-decade, Porsche is planning to produce millions of gallons of the e-fuel. Plans are to expand that to about 55 million liters (14.5 million U.S. gallons) by mid-decade, and around 550 million liters (145.3 million U.S. gallons) roughly two years later. Porsche officials celebrated the beginning of the e-fuel production with the filling of a Porsche 911 with the first synthetic fuel produced at the site.

☆ A solo Ticketmaster might attract financial fans
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Jennifer Saba | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

NEW YORK, Dec 15 (Reuters Breakingviews) - The drums are beating louder for a breakup of Live Nation Entertainment (LYV.N). For Live Nation, it’s not entirely clear that the flywheel is spinning smoothly. Live Nation says it is so dominant because it’s so much better than the competition. Putting the complicated legal and regulatory questions aside, there’s probably a financial case for Ticketmaster to become a solo act. Live Nation merged with Ticketmaster in 2010.

Vindman first joined Twitter while working in the Trump administration because it was often the way his then-boss, the president, made policy. His wife, liberal activist and podcaster Rachel Vindman, has almost 400,000 followers, making them a progressive Twitter power couple. In a clubby city obsessed with status and information, Twitter delivers both, all from the comfort of one’s mobile phone. No one wants to leave Twitter until everyone else does, but there’s no obvious place to go next. Some think Musk will kill Twitter regardless of whether there’s a mass exodus of its users.

☆ What next for Stadium 974, the World Cup's first 'fully-demountable' arena?
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-10 | by ( Rohith Nair | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Expensive World Cup stadiums have often proven to be white elephants for the host country but the temporary arena that is Stadium 974, unveiled in November last year, has done its job and its prefabricated pieces will soon be dismantled. Described as the "first fully-demountable tournament venue" in World Cup history, the arena will also host a fashion show on Dec. 16 - two days before the final - with several music artists set to perform. METAL ARENAStadium 974 is the first stadium fans arriving in Qatar see when they land at the airport and travel into central Doha. The 44,089-capacity stadium is named after the number of containers of various bright colours used to build the arena, while 974 is also Qatar's international dialling code. Stadium 974 is also the only one of eight World Cup arenas in Qatar without air conditioning, which meant all seven games it hosted could only be played after sunset.

Black users have long been one of Twitter’s most engaged demographics, flocking to the platform to steer online culture and drive real-world social change. But a month after Elon Musk took over, some Black influencers are eyeing the exits just as he races to shore up the company’s business. And while there is no hard data on how many Black users have either joined or left the platform over that period, some prominent influencers say they’re actively pursuing alternatives. Some signs indicate a slowdown among Black Twitter users that predates Musk. “It’s crippling to the economies of cities when Black folks leave, platforms when Black folks leave, entertainment sites when Black folks leave,” she said.

☆ K-Pop Sells Out Arenas. Can ‘KPOP’ Sell Broadway Tickets?
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Ashley Wong | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

K-pop is one of the most commercially successful music genres in the world. The heartthrob boy band BTS once grossed $33 million in ticket sales for a concert event. Blackpink, a girl group whose members have become style icons, sold more than 1 million copies of its debut album in a month. Now, as live theaters are struggling to bring audiences back, can the magic extend to Broadway ticket sales?

CNN —The Big Ten Conference has fined Michigan State University $100,000 and suspended Spartans cornerback Khary “KJ” Crump for the first eight games of next season following the post-football game fight against rival Michigan in the players’ tunnel at Michigan Stadium on October 29. Michigan State finished its regular season 5-7. At the time, Michigan football Head Coach Jim Harbaugh said two of his players were “assaulted,” and one of them may have a broken nose. Seven Spartans football players, including Crump, were charged last week, according to the Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office. 4 in the nation, defeated Michigan State 29-7 before the scuffle.

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